Controlled-motion compensator

ABSTRACT

A system for coupling a pair of independent bodies and controllably compensating relative motion therebetween comprising a first coupling element defining a cylindrical socket and a second coupling element defining a disk with a tongue extending therefrom, said second coupling element disposed within said first coupling element, and hydraulic means acting between the coupling elements for controlling the stiffness of coupling therebetween.

United States Patent inventor App]. No.

Filed Patented Assignee CONTROLLED-MOTION COMPENSATOR 5 Claims, 3Drawing Figs.

US. Cl... 308/184 Int. Cl F16c 27/00 Field 0! Search 308/184, 6

Thomas J. Koprowski Northrldge, Calii.

Sept. 22, 1970 Nov. 16, 1971 The United States of America as representedby the United States Atomic Energy Commission [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 629,011 7/1899 Miller 308/184 PrimaryExaminerMartin P. Schwadron Assistant Examiner-F rank SuskoAttorney-Roland A. Anderson PATENTEnuuv 16 I97! 3.620.583

sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR. Thomas J. Koprowski ATTORNEY.

CONTROLLED-MOTION COMPENSATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventiondescribed herein was made in the course of, or under, ContractAT(292)-2049 with the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

It becomes necessary in various instances that independent bodies becoupled together wherein a relatively small degree of independent motionof the bodies must be allowed. Couplers are known that provideprotection against independent motion or shock loads between independentbodies, but in most cases there are no means to control the amount ofshock rigidity between the independent bodies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a method ofcoupling two independent bodies together while at the same time,providing means to control the amount of shock rigidity between the two.More specifically, the invention comprises a cylindrical socket-couplingelement attached to one independent body, a disk-shaped second couplingelement nesting within the cylindrical socket, and a tongue extendingfrom the disk through an opening in the cylindrical socket, and attachedto the other independent body. Controllable hydraulically actuatedbufier pistons resiliently act between the periphery of the disk and thecylindrical socket, and stabilization pistons resiliently act betweenthe tongue extending from the disk and the cylindrical socket. Byregulation of the hydraulically actuated buffer pistons andstabilization pistons, it is possible to control the shock rigidity ofone body relative to the other.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a meansto eliminate the transmission of shock vibration between twomechanically connected independent bodies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means to controlthe rate of shock absorption between two mechanically connected bodies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a controllableshock attenuation system for transportable rolling elements.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means torigidize and make positive a mechanical motion compensation systembetween two independent bodies in order to transmit work.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means ofcontrolling shock due to impact between two bodies mechanically couplingtogether.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of thecontrolled motion compensation system in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view with portions broken away of a modified form ofthe invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the bearingsrace and lower section of the modified form of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, the presentinvention generally provides for the elimination or control of the rateof shock absorption between two independent bodies by the controlledinteraction between the cylindrical socket l2 and the disk 11 and tongue41 attached to the disk. The controlled interaction is provided throughbuffer pistons 21 and stabilization pistons 31.

Disk 11 has two parallel, hardened, and ground flat round faces and isof sufficient thickness to accommodate buffer piston cylinder bores 27.Buffer piston cylinder bores 27 are precision bored normal to theperipheral wall of disk 11, are parallel to its flat sides, and arespaced 120 apart. Cylinder bores 27 extend into disk 11 a distancesufficient to contain spring 22 and a portion of piston 21. The interiorend of cylinder bores 27 are continued into smaller drilled hydraulicpassageways 24 meeting jointly in the center of disk 11 forming amanifold. A portion of buffer piston 21 is enclosed by and operablyrides within cylinder bore 27. The distal portion of buffer piston 21 isbifurcated with roller 23 fitted into the bifurcation and the rolleraxle pinned to the bifurcations. The roller mates with and rolls on theinside circumferential surface of the annular peripheral wall 12b ofcylindrical socket 12. Spring 22, which nests in the innermost portionof cylinder bore'27 spring-loads the buffer pistons 21 and thus keepsroller 23 against the inner surface of socket wall 12b.

The tongue 41 is centrally attached to one face of disk 11 and extendsnormally therefrom through an opening in one end wall of cylindricalsocket 12. Hydraulic passageway 24 is drilled through the upper face ofdisk 11, into the manifold formed of passageways 24 from the bufferpiston cylinders, and then coaxially through the shaft-forming tongue 41until socket end wall 12c is cleared. Passageway 24 then exits to theexterior of the tongue shaft at outlet 25 The drill hole in the upperface of disk 11 is plugged with plug 26.

The socket end wall 120 is circular in shape, has a centrally locatedopening extending from the internal socket portion to the outside tofacilitate free traversal by tongue 41. End wall 120 contains thestabilization piston cylinder bores 35 and connecting hydraulicpassageways 34a and 34b with outlets 36a and 36b.

Two stabilization pistons 31 provide for shock absorption between thetongue 41 and the socket wall 12c. Rollers 33, which mate with and rollon the tongue 41, are similarly constructed as were the rollers 23 inthe buffer pistons 21, rolling between the bifurcations of stabilizationpistons 31.

Stabilization pistons 31 are partially enclosed by and ride withincylinder bores 35 which are located diametrically opposite each other inthe circular opening within socket wall 120. Springs 32, which nest inthe portion of cylinder bores 35 serve to spring-load the twostabilization pistons 31, thus keeping roller 33 against tongue 41.Hydraulic passageways 34a and 34b are drilled from the interior end ofthe cylinder bores 35 and from the lower portion of the socket wall 120.Passageways 34a and 34b are not internally connected.

Ball races 15a and 15b, circular and coaxial to the central opening insocket wall 120, are machined into the interior flat faces of the socketend walls 12c and 12a, to facilitate rotatable support of the disk 11within the socket.

During operation as a motion compensation system and when it is desiredto control the rate of shock absorption between the two bodies or tomake a completely rigid mechanical link, the three buffer pistons andtwo stabilization pistons are hydraulically driven and thereby regulatethe stiffness of the shock absorption system. Hydraulic sealing betweenthe pistons and their respective cylinder bores are provided by O-ringsor other known means.

Thus the inventive combination of the buffer pistons, stabilizationpistons, the spring loading, and the controllable resilient hydraulicboast when desired, provide selected isolation of shock movement fromone portion of the invention to the other. In operation as a motioncompensation system between an object to be picked up and a transportingvehicle, the operator normally pressurizes the hydraulic system tostabilize the load end of the work system during the pickup operationand then relaxes the pressure during object installation to allow theobject to drift as necessary for guiding into place.

Typical dimensions for the motion compensation system shown in FIG. 1are as follows: disk 11, 10.5 inches diameter, 2.5 inches thickness;cylindrical socket 12 inside circumferential wall diameter, 13.5 inches;cylindrical socket 12 lower portion centrally located opening diameteris 5.5 inches; and tongue 41 shaft diameter is 2.5 inches.

FIG. 2 shows a second and similar motion compensation system suggestedby the system illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, tongue 91 is attached atthe peripheral wall of disk 51 and the tongue 91 extends through anopening in the peripheral wall 92b of a cylindrical socket 92, forconnection to one of the independent bodies. Three equally spacedcylinder bores 67 are precision drilled into the circumferential wallsof the disk 51. Buffer pistons 61 extend from cylinder bores 67 withrollers 63 situated between bifurcations of the distal end of bufferpistons 61 and mating with and rolling on the interior surface of socketwall 92b. Springs 62 spring-load the buffer pistons 61 and hydraulicpassageways 64 extend from the interior end of the cylinder bores 67 tothe center of the disk 51 to form a manifold of inlets. A hole isdrilled from one face of disk 51 to meet the manifold of the threepassageways 64 and the hole is tapped to provide hydraulic connection66. Cylinder bores 75 are drilled into the neck portion of cylindricalsocket wall 92b fonned by the opening therein for tongue 91. Springs 62serve to spring-load stabilization pistons 71 disposed within the bores75. The stabilization pistons 71 are blunt ended, conical-shaped andride against tongue 91. Hydraulic passageways 74a and 74b throughoutlets 76a and 76b pennit hydraulic control over the stabilizationpistons 71. Ball races 55a and 5512 are machined into the interior facesof cylindrical socket end walls 920 and 92c respectively.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along a plane defined by3-3 which shows the bearings races 55a and 55b and lower portions ofcylindrical socket 92.

Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in detail, thereare obviously many other embodiments and variations in configurationswhich can be made by a person skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit, scope, or principle of the invention. Therefore, thisinvention is not to be limited except in accordance with the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A system for coupling a pair of bodies and controllably compensatingrelative motion therebetween comprising a coupling element defining acylindrical socket, a second coupling element including a disk having atongue projecting therefrom, said disk disposed within said socket andtransversely movable relative thereto with said tongue extending freelythrough said first coupling element exteriorly of said socket, saidfirst coupling element of said tongue of said second coupling elementadopted for connection to said bodies; controllable hydraulicallyactuated buffer'means resiliently acting between the periphery of saiddisk and inside peripheral wall of said socket, and controllablehydraulically actuated stabilization means resiliently acting betweensaid first coupling element and said tongue of said second couplingelement; whereby the resiliency of said buffer means and saidstabilization means is controllable to controllably compensate relativemotion between said coupling elements.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bufler meanscomprise at least three equally spaced bufl'er pistons extendingnormally from said disk periphery and having rollers on the distal end,said rollers mating with and rolling on said cylindrical socket insideperipheral walls; and said stabilization means comprise at least twostabilization pistons extending from said cylindrical socket, the distalend of said stabilization pistons mating with the tonguelike meansextending from said disk.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said buffer means pistonsare spring-loaded and piston cylinders are hydraulically interconnectedwith known size orifices therebetween and controllable hydraulicallydriven by exterior hydraulic means, and said stabilization means pistonsare spring-loaded and piston cylinders are hydraulically interconnectedwith known size orifices therebetween and controllably hydraulicallydriven by exterior hydraulic means.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said tongue extendsperpendicularly from one of said disk's faces exteriorly through acircular opening in said cylindrical socket, and said stabilizationpistons extending diametrically from the intcrior wall of said circularopening, the distal ends of said stabilization pistons defining rollerswhich mate with and roll on said tongue.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said tongue extendsnormally from the periphery of said disk exteriorly through an openingin said cylindrical socket, and said stabilization pistons extend fromthe interior wall of said opening, the distal ends of said stabilizationpistons defining a blunted conical end which mate with said tongue.

1. A system for coupling a pair of bodies and controllably compensatingrelative motion therebetween comprising a coupling element defining acylindrical socket, a second coupling element including a disk having atongue projecting therefrom, said disk disposed within said socket andtransversely movable relative thereto with said tongue extending freelythrough said first coupling element exteriorly of said socket, saidfirst coupling element of said tongue of said second coupling elementadopted for connection to said bodies; controllable hydraulicallyactuated buffer means resiliently acting between the periphery of saiddisk and inside peripheral wall of said socket, and controllablehydraulically actuated stabilization means resiliently acting betweensaid first coupling element and said tongue of said second couplingelement; whereby the resiliency of said buffer means and saidstabilization means is controllable to controllably compensate relativemotion between said coupling elements.
 2. The apparatus as defined inclaim 1 wherein said buffer means comprise at least three equally spacedbuffer pistons extending normally from said diSk periphery and havingrollers on the distal end, said rollers mating with and rolling on saidcylindrical socket inside peripheral walls; and said stabilization meanscomprise at least two stabilization pistons extending from saidcylindrical socket, the distal end of said stabilization pistons matingwith the tonguelike means extending from said disk.
 3. The apparatus asdefined in claim 2 wherein said buffer means pistons are spring-loadedand piston cylinders are hydraulically interconnected with known sizeorifices therebetween and controllable hydraulically driven by exteriorhydraulic means, and said stabilization means pistons are spring-loadedand piston cylinders are hydraulically interconnected with known sizeorifices therebetween and controllably hydraulically driven by exteriorhydraulic means.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein saidtongue extends perpendicularly from one of said disk''s faces exteriorlythrough a circular opening in said cylindrical socket, and saidstabilization pistons extending diametrically from the interior wall ofsaid circular opening, the distal ends of said stabilization pistonsdefining rollers which mate with and roll on said tongue.
 5. Theapparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said tongue extends normallyfrom the periphery of said disk exteriorly through an opening in saidcylindrical socket, and said stabilization pistons extend from theinterior wall of said opening, the distal ends of said stabilizationpistons defining a blunted conical end which mate with said tongue.